SuperQueer Designer Willy Chavarria Wows Paris with Political Statement, and Collaborates with Kendrick Lamar Ahead of Super Bowl

Queer fashion designer Willy Chavarria is having a moment. After wowing the fashion world last Friday with a "a showstopper of a Paris Fashion Week debut" (according to GQ), he is back with some Super Bowl-related news involving Super Bowl LIX halftime performer Kendrick Lamar.

It was at last Friday's event that Chavarria, who was named by GQ as the Breakthrough Designer of the Year in the 2024 GQ Fashion Awards, scored a knockout with his signature elevation of the Chicano aesthetic making waves in the world of high fashion.

At Friday's event he also introduced a branding partnership with Adidas, GQ writes in a related article. "The two have partnered in the past on sneakers and apparel but 'TARANTULA' levels the partnership up with an extensive array of kicks, all anchored by a favorite of Chavarria's from the Adidas archive," reports INTOmore..

But Chavarria's most tellingly queer moment came midway through, when the music stopped and on came the voice of Bishop Mariann Edger Budde and the words that confronted Donald Trump and his administration at the recent inaugural prayer ceremony for their discrimination against trans people. "While Budde's words played on the loudspeakers, Chavarria himself took to the stage in a sweatshirt design that read How we love is who we are, in old English font," writes INTOmore.

"This was quite the closing act as Chavarria, who is openly gay, made it very clear that he will not stray away from speaking up about issues currently facing not only the LGBTQ+ community but migrant and intersectional communities as well," adds INTOmore. "According to press releases, the design itself was created by Chavarria in response to the over 570 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been introduced this past year. The crewneck was made in partnership with Tinder and the Human Right's campaign in which all proceeds would go to the HRC. As of writing the sweatshirt has completely sold out with a price tag of about $200 USD." (View it here on Chaviarria's website.)

"Chavarria's runway shows have often been rife with political commentary," INTOmore pointed out. "A 2017 show had his models showcase outfits from within a chain-link cage in response to the Tr*mp Administration's border policies." 

Last September he made a forceful statement at New York Fashion Week with a show he called "AMERICA" that featured his runway models in United Farm Workers sweatshirts, cropped mechanics shirts, and dungarees tailored in Chavarria's signature oversized proportion. GQ writes that "Chavarria commands among the most inclusive runways in the business, and his crew of tough, tattoo-covered models embodied a crystal clear idea of beauty and power woefully absent in the wider fashion world. 'It's really about the fact that all of us belong, all of us have purpose, and all of us have the ability to make change in this country,' Chavarria said backstage."

He also recently collaborated with HRC and Tinder "in response to the sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders we've already seen leveled against young people, specifically, in recent weeks," INTOmore reported.

On Monday, he dropped news of another collaboration that will easily increase his brand's visibility enormously.

"Chavarria has joined forces with Super Bowl LIX halftime performer Kendrick Lamar and the rapper's creative agency pgLang for a collection designed for the big night, drawing inspiration from KDot's West Coast roots, football culture, and his latest smash-hit album 'GNX'," GQ notes. "It's sure to go down as the illest merch dropping for the NFL's season finale, and provides a unique opportunity for anyone looking to hop on the Chavarria train right now."

Dazed writes that the Lamar collection features some "very Willy-esque pieces, like an oversized black bomber, with 'K Lamar' embroidery, some baggy gym shorts and a Super Bowl LIX hoodie."

"I partnered with Kendrick Lamar's pgLang and the NFL because of the opportunity to reach an audience that feels familiar to me," Chavarria said in a statement. "We spent a lot of time on the fits and the vibe, and Kendrick tied in everything to get it spot on. Working with Kendrick is an important cultural moment for the two of us. We both have an unwavering voice when it comes to our people."

GQ adds that "Lamar and Chavarria have kept the lineup fairly simple and straightforward: right now it spans a T-shirt, shorts, a hoodie, and a varsity jacket, with a boxy football jersey to come. The shirt and hoodies bear Super Bowl and Kendrick branding alongside a quote from GNX single 'tv off': 'Foot up on the gas but somebody gotta do it.' The jacket, meanwhile, is a bit simpler, coming in a solid black satin and bearing the NFL logo, Kendrick's signature, and 'G. NATIONAL' stitched across the back."

While Chavarria's work tends to have higher price points, the items in the collection released thus far have half its items under $100 (the hoodie comes in at $140 and the jacket is $750). "While they don't hail from Chavarria's vaunted runway collections, they're still a very cool way to add the designer's touch to your closet without breaking the bank. As for that $750 jacket, well, good luck tracking one down," writes GQ. The jacket is a limited availability item and already sold out on Chavarria's website. "The football jersey featured in the collection has yet to be released, nor are details on availability currently public. Sportswear giant Michell & Ness has said that it's coming soon, though – likely ahead of the Super Bowl on February 9. The best part? Proceeds of the whole drop go directly towards relief efforts for the Los Angeles wildfires. Drip yourself out for a good cause."